Workrite Uniform Company, Inc.

About Workrite Uniform Company, Inc.

Appreciated by the working class and the sophomore class, Williamson-Dickie Manufacturing makes Dickies branded khaki pants, bib overalls, jeans, women's and children's apparel, and Workrite fire-resistant uniforms. It also makes apparel and footwear for work and outdoor use under the Kodiak and Terra names. Its work clothes, originally tailored for the blue-collar set, are in fashion with young people, who account for a growing portion of sales. Its products are sold worldwide by major retailers (such as Sears and Cabela's) directly to businesses, in its own Work Authority stores, and online. The company was founded in 1922 by C.N. Williamson and E.E. Dickie as U.S. Bib Overall. It is owned by the Williamson family.
In 2017 the company agreed to sell to V.F. Corp. for $820 million.

Change in Company Type

In 2017 V.F. Corp. agreed to acquire Williamson-Dickie Manufacturing Co. for $820 million in cash. The deal adds Williamson-Dickie's lines to V.F.'s closet, where brands like Timberland, North Face, and Wrangler also hang. V.F. expects that it will gain about $200 million in revenue from the deal in 2017 and as much as $1 billion by 2021. The transaction is expected to close in the 2017 fourth quarter.

Operations

The company operates six of its own retail stores in Florida, Nevada, Tennessee, and Texas. It also has a growing school uniform business. The company's Workrite Uniform division is a leading supplier of flame-resistant uniforms. In 2013 Workrite launched Workrite Canada, including local sales representation, inventory, and a distribution center. Other brands include Kodiak, Terra, Walls, Big Smith, 10X, Liberty and Duxbak.

Texas-based Dickies' workwear is sold in all 50 US states and worldwide in more than 100 countries through affiliates in Canada, Mexico, Europe, China, Japan, and the Middle East. Workrite has more than 30 locations in Canada.

Strategy

Dickies goes to work to get its name out. Through partnerships with other companies, the workwear company peddles a variety of lines, such as bags, belts, socks, headwear, junior girls' clothing, footwear, and kidswear.

In recent years Dickies has concentrated on expanding its products portfolio through licensing agreements and acquisitions. Looking to attract customers in a growing niche of the apparel market, Dickies enlisted the help of Strategic Partners to design, produce, and distribute Dickies-branded apparel and footwear specific to the medical industry. A deal with Magla Products, which specializes in hand-safety gear and related cleaning items, allows Dickies to sell work gloves and compete head-to-head with über gloves maker Wells Lamont.

On the international front, in 2013 Williamson-Dickie Manufacturing launched Dickies.mx, an online Spanish language site for Mexico. Mexico is an important market for the company with huge growth potential.

In 2014 the company signed an exclusive licensing agreement allowing ID Overseas to sell Dickies licensed workwear in India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. Back home, it signed a licensing agreement for Jerry Leigh of California to become the exclusive licensee for Dickies juniors' apparel.

Mergers and Acquisitions

In June 2013 Dickies acquired Cleburne, Texas-based Walls Industries, expanding its workwear line and strengthening its position as a dominant player in the global oil and gas market. Walls, whose brands that include Walls, Big Smith, 10X, Liberty, and Duxbak, makes outerwear and flame retardant apparel, among other products.

In 2014 Dickies purchased North East Rig Out Ltd. (NERO), a Scottish workwear manufacturer specializing in the oil and gas industry. The move strengthens the company's position in the global oil and gas market.

Company Background

The brand first gained international attention in the late 1950s, when Texas oilmen brought Dickies workwear to oil fields in the Middle East.